tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266975.post8378801643407901497..comments2023-08-20T05:42:42.803-06:00Comments on Of Dew and Donuts and Diatribes: Gay or Straight, Marriage is Not a Fundamental RightBenjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09916394486715539975noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266975.post-29442537626428648222012-09-02T06:18:08.174-06:002012-09-02T06:18:08.174-06:00In response to the God question, I think the only ...In response to the God question, I think the only right to marry that God is possible of giving is something like a legal one. On my view, even God cannot bestow a “natural” right to marry because the very idea of a natural right to marry is somehow contradictory—it makes a natural claim about something non-natural. Suppose God introduced something like marriage to Adam and Eve. Suppose He even told them to teach the practice to their offspring and perpetuate marriage throughout future generations. I’m not sure this would result in marriage rights even of a quasi-legal kind. However, if God said future generations should be ALLOWED to marry, then this sounds like God granting humans something like a right. But yes, in that case, it strikes me as a quasi-legal right with God as sovereign.<br /><br />I know some people believe Adam and Eve were married and that marriage is ordained of God. I’m not sure this tells us anything about NATURAL rights. Plus, you then run into the issue of what marriage means to God. I’m assuming it would be rather difficult for someone to argue that God condones same-sex marriage. Even if God is okay with it, how would you show that? But advocates of same-sex marriage don’t, and shouldn’t, need to prove anything about God. Furthermore, whatever quasi-legal rights to marriage God may have given humankind are not what Gaughn is concerned with. He is concerned with legal rights of the kind bestowed by certain entities within the U.S. government. And he mistakenly claims that human beings have a fundamental right to those legal rights. That’s my interpretation, anyway.Benjaminhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09916394486715539975noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266975.post-59200503115182113482012-09-01T15:32:59.507-06:002012-09-01T15:32:59.507-06:00My understanding of what he is saying is that marr...My understanding of what he is saying is that marriage is NOT a fundamental right. It's something set up by people and legalized by governments, contracts, licenses etc. If that is the case, I would think we can't discriminate because it is a right that is given and we shouldn't say yes to some people and no to others. ??? JoAnnahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12538979556081549617noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266975.post-65908562694393591562012-09-01T12:54:55.105-06:002012-09-01T12:54:55.105-06:00It is amazing how you can keep thoughts in order. ...It is amazing how you can keep thoughts in order. I react as I go along, but then I can't remember my own thoughts. I do wind up realizing mine are emotional reactions....aka ENFP personality. I suppose marriage, throughout history, has almost always been for some purpose other than how we see it today. Where in the world did we get this romantic, in-love forever nonsense?? I suspect it got rolling with the onset of Rock'n Roll music and motion pictures. Up until then, it never looks like it was much more than practical. But even now, if a marriage turns out not to be desireable, it is easily changed out for something else, just like before in a lot of cases.<br /> *Hmm..think Henry VIII* <br />I think if people are allowed to seek marriage for happiness or whatever reason, then it should be available to all people, just like owning a car or whatever, like you said. That's why gay marriage should be allowed...because you can't/shouldn't discriminate amongst people. It becomes a fundamental right, right?mudderbearhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04537045078065798116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266975.post-12526383405353477552012-09-01T12:20:18.164-06:002012-09-01T12:20:18.164-06:00I'm so glad you wrote this. I've been thin...I'm so glad you wrote this. I've been thinking a lot about this issue and it's nice to read something objective/logical and kind of leave out the emotional responses people have. I tried a while ago to write a blog (never posted it) about my thoughts on marriage trying to figure out some of the questions you've answered here. I've also been trying to form an intelligent response to what you've said but am not sure that's going to happen :)<br />So what if it was a known fact that God gave Swamp Adam and Swamp Eve the right to marry? Would that make it a natural right because it was from creation? Or would that make God the government/authority and therefore it would still be a legal right? There is nothing stopping Adam and Eve from committing to each other and forming that union or bond so is it what marriage means legally that makes it a legal right? JoAnnahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12538979556081549617noreply@blogger.com